Hope Reforged
by ChasingTheLight
Summary: The League now lies in ruins after the political upheaval achieved around Valoran. Riven is running from persecution, Annie must now escape slavery, Ryze is in hiding and as Freljord is on the brink of collapse as a nation, Demacia finds itself dealing with a twisted situation that can only be brought back to Jericho Swain and the dark secrets of the slums of Noxus and The Void.


Christmas time in the city of Noxus was one that nowadays was neither filled with joy, warmth or prosperity. The snow fell relentlessly; the cold swept through the slums – all this adding to be the harshest winter that this part of Valoran had seen for many years. The fully clouded sky made the city seem more claustrophobic and oppressive, than it would normally; the feeble lights from the oil lamps that resided in the few lucky households dimmed with every passing second, the few working headlamps could barely keep the streets lit and safe. Not a single person dared go outside once dark, the mere thought was suicide.

Rogues and thieves controlled the slums not the government holding seat. The law of the slums had no regard for those above, and in truth, Noxus had no concern for the slums and for this reason poverty and disease ran rife through the district. Within the last 6 weeks, Dysentery, caused by the old pipes cracking from the cold and allowing sewerage to seep into the water supply, had claimed the lives of over 2000 people. Thankfully the residents had realised in time and stopped drinking the tap water, yet the flu still spread like wild fire, no doubt people would wake up tomorrow on Christmas Day and find their Grandparents and newborns dead.

And that was the truth of living here.

Talon knew that – very well.

He contemplated while taking a drag from his cigarette – the only thing keeping him warm apart from his assassins' garb. He grew up not too far from where he was stood, and by grew up he meant after that years strain of flu claimed the life of both his parents on New Years Day, he was left to squat in his house alone until seven and a half months later people realised they had seen no adults leave or enter and there being an overwhelming stench. When they broke in they found Talon sitting in the kitchen eating bread that he was 'given' in the market; the corpses of his mother and father rotting in the bedroom upstairs.

They handed him to the authorities as a 'danger to society'. He never saw what happened to his parents bodies, however he later came to learn that there is no room for dead to buried in Noxus, they are instead shoved into a massive incinerator, the same ones used to burn the waste and garbage of the city. Talon spent a short time at the orphanage, where he was mostly ignored. He was never bullied because he somehow merged and became invisible within his surroundings. He didn't want to be noticed, or have attention drawn to him; being social was overrated and he liked things the way they were. He was, however, almost illiterate and his growth stunted through malnutrition. Once he ran away from the Orphanage, dissatisfied with the crowded and loud environment, he began to create himself as an assassin – in silence and deadly solitude.

In Noxus, you can become anything as long as you have the will and the way, and so Talon killed a man. Calmly and with precision he killed a man and felt no inch of regret afterwards. And through death came a new life working for the Du Couteau family – their daughter Katarina specialising too in blades. The two became friends forged in blood, one as morbid as the other. They fought to see who would slit the most throats; it was a game they both enjoyed.  
And so Talon stood on the street smoking the last quarter of his cigarette, ready to retire for dinner and sleep. Then he heard a crunch.

His eyes flew right, his cigarette still burning slowly. He spat the stick of tobacco out of his mouth and it was immediately exhausted in the snow.

He heard another crunch.

His left hand immediately raised and exposed his hidden blade. There was sudden quiet.  
He saw a shadow move and he jumped so swiftly he would have appeared to teleport. He landed and grabbed in front of him, clasping an arm, wrenching it behind his back. He kicked the knees and throttled the throat in the crook of his arm – his blade pressing against the jugular vein.

"You were like a herd of elephants coming down that alley." He hissed  
"I always thought you liked the loud ones…" the voice replied  
Without acknowledgement, Talon released the body unscathed but pushed it into the snow.  
"Besides I thought you promised my father you'd given up smoking?" the feminine voice added when she pushed herself back up  
"If he ever finds out tell him I saved you from giving away your life tonight,"  
Talon replied turning away.  
"Get back here, we're going this way"  
"God sake Katarina"  
"Shut your mouth, this is important."  
Talon stared down the young woman severely and slowly began to walk back to her.  
"What news have you received then?" he asked as they made their way quickly through the streets.  
"Queen Ashe of Freljord is with child."  
There was a pause.  
"She's pregnant?" He asked, rhetorically  
"Yes"  
"And why do you think this concerns me?"  
"It concerns everyone Talon, thinking it doesn't is plain ignorance." She replied harshly  
"I'm guessing this will spur Demacia to form tighter relations with them?"  
"We'll have to see how this pans out, though I'm wary that a baby will offer anything but peace. Freljord is still in throes of its takeover and it's not quite stable yet. A baby will secure an heir but Ashe is still vulnerable - the people of Freljord will not stand a barbarian king ruling their kingdom. They are happy that Ashe has power, but not the thought that she is married to a savage."  
"And has Sejuani voiced her displeasement?"  
"Pig lady? She's probably still rolling around in her boars filth in that frozen wasteland."  
Talon chuckled in reply to Katarina's seething comment,  
"Disgusting bunch of uncivilised savages." He spat  
"God only knows what will happen when the barbarians move in permanently,"  
"It can't be worse than what Noxus has become." Talon replied, bitterly  
Katarina gave a coy, expectant smile and Talon suddenly panicked and replied  
"I'm not worried at all, just this wasn't what I had in mind when 'Grand General Jericho Swain' took over."  
"It will be great. Just wait and see. Now is not the time for doubt and wavering."  
"But what if the army falls? It is our one weakness…"  
"Our weakness is our strength Talon. We have the greatest army in Valoran, you honestly believe those big heads ruling Demacia stand any chance against our brutality?" Katarina stated with conviction.  
"From what I overheard this afternoon there are greater matters afoot than the birth of a baby."  
"What are you talking about?"  
Talon chuckled again.  
"Riven has been found."  
The female war fighter turned in disbelief to her comrade.  
"You think this a joke?" she spat  
"No, what I think is a joke is that you're getting your tits in twist over a fucking baby."  
"You watch your mouth…"  
"Honestly Katarina, you're far too dramatic."  
Katarina pursed her lips and puffed her chest – the only thing keeping her pride intact.  
"Riven hasn't been captured - though she has spotted by Beatrice near Ionia." Talon proceeded to say  
"Ionia? Why is she with a bunch of monks and martial artists?"  
"That we don't know, though if it's any consolation, she obviously had a purpose there. Riven doesn't waste time."  
"Her sword maybe?" asked Katarina  
"Don't be stupid. Her sword is important but she's driven to overthrow Noxus. We cannot allow her to return and create anarchy. She's an exile with retribution on her heart. If we allow her to break the army, there will be no stopping the demise of Noxus."  
There was another steady silence.  
"I'm going to Ionia tomorrow." said Katarina breaking the silence  
"No. You can't."  
"It's orders" she lied  
"Bullshit. You know it's against the law of the League."  
"I'm not going there to kill people, Talon. Honestly, is that how low you think of me?"  
"Everything you do ends up with someone dead."  
"Honestly Talon, you're so dramatic." She mocked  
The assassin sucked a breath.  
"You won't even be able to make anchor on those Isles when you turn up. They'll turn you away. You know that right?"  
"Don't be so negative."  
"Those people are not stupid."  
Katarina smiled.  
"Talon, Riven is only a _self-proclaimed_ 'Exile'. However, when she was found to still be alive we now hunt her as a war criminal and a deserter of the Noxian army. Her head will be on spike the next time you see her. I don't have the right to arrive at Ionia and start making trouble, however I have the right _under law_ to bring back a criminal and bring them to justice. After all, it would be irresponsible to allow a criminal to run free and create trouble…"  
"Yes, that is true…"  
"Good to hear that you haven't forgotten the laws of our land."

Again there was another break in the conversation. However, between these two, conversation was mostly overrated. It was hardly needed. Silence did just as well and there was never any resentment for silence and neither was there resentment for spending time away from each other. Patience was never a virtue with these two and this might have been why they could not spend more than an evening together. Yet under this seething, seemingly hot resentment of each other there was a mutual understanding and appreciation for each other. There was never dull moment spent and never an offhand insult gone unspoken. There were many suspicions about their relationship, within the army however Talon vehemently disregarded any sort of those feelings. He had never felt love or warmth, and he never expected nor ever wanted to. It would also put his career and livelihood in jeopardy. No doubt if it was found that him and Katarina were found to have serious relations, then he would be out of the Du Couteau's house so fast that he would have no chance to fight. And for him sex was no reason to lose his job. And yet there was something niggling inside him. He gave an awkward cough.

"It will be sad for you not to be around for Christmas tomorrow." He mumbled  
"What?"  
"I said, it will be sad that you're not around tomorrow." he repeated louder  
"For Christmas?" she asked  
"Your parents wanted to at least spend a day with you before you were due to resume orders. I know they were looking forward to that."  
"Well my parents will have to wait another few days won't they?"  
"You'll be missing out on a feast. You know the chef's manage to make an amazing meal each and every year." He persuaded further  
Katarina smiled sheepishly  
"Yeah I know…"  
"Do your parents a favour and spend tomorrow with them." He said, looking at Katarina  
"Talon I can't…"  
"Do you honestly think that Riven will move tomorrow? The seas will be impassable. I know for a fact that a storm will be sweeping through."  
"Oh really?" she asked, with a tint of sarcasm to her voice.  
"Yes really." Talon replied in all seriousness  
Katarina sighed.  
"You're such a…"  
"A killjoy?"  
"Well I was going to say something more unsavoury than that but that too."  
Talon looked back to the auburn haired woman.  
"Do yourself a favour and stay tomorrow."  
"Grr... Fine, fine, fine."  
The assassin then pulled an awkward smile.  
"Good."  
And so they remained in silence, the end of their journey only enjoyed by each other's unsociable company.


End file.
